Online RN to BSN Program
Students participating in EIU’s online RN to BSN program who meet the FAFSA eligibility requirements are able to receive financial aid to pay toward their courses. Because this online program utilizes different start dates during each term, it is important for students in the program to be aware of their program’s policies and how they affect financial aid processes.
Types of Aid
Due to the special nature of the program, students enrolled in the online RN to BSN program are not eligible for institutional aid including waivers and merit-based awards. Students may be eligible for Federal loans, federal grants, and State of IL MAP Grant funds as determined by FAFSA and based on required minimum enrollment.
Enrollment
Aid is calculated on the enrolled number of credit hours at EIU per full semester. The online RN to BSN program is not eligible for consortium agreements.
Pell Grant Recalculation Date
Undergraduate students seeking their first bachelor’s degree who have an EFC between $0 and $5,486 may be eligible to receive the Federal Pell Grant. Each semester, the EIU Office of Financial Aid has established the fifth class date in each part of term as the Pell Grant Recalculation date.
After the Pell Recalculation Date has passed, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will no longer adjust Pell Grant awards that have already disbursed for the part of term (Per federal regulations, a student is not eligible for Pell Grant funding for a course in which they did not begin attendance).
The EIU Office of Financial Aid and scholarships strongly encourages students in the online RN to BSN Program to enroll for all of their courses at the beginning of each semester in order to receive full Pell Grant funding for the semester.
Students in the online RN to BSN program are subject to the required Federal Return of Title IV Funds calculations if they withdraw from the semester. Please continue below for more information.
Federal Return of Title IV Funds
Students (including those participating in the online RN to BSN program) who receive financial aid and withdraw from EIU are subject to the Return of Title IV Funds policy as required by the U.S. Department of Education.
The Federal Return of Title IV Funds policy requires that a portion of federal aid be returned to the Department of Education if the student withdraws on or before completing 60% of the semester for which the student received federal aid.
Completion of one course in a part of term does not exclude students from being counted as a withdrawal if they do not attend the second part of term, and EIU is required to determine how much aid the student earned.
The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will email the student to confirm they are still going to be attending the second part of term. Our office must receive written confirmation from the student within 14 days, otherwise EIU will perform a Return of Title IV Calculation. If EIU receives written confirmation but the student does not return as scheduled, then a Return of Title IV Funds will be processed as if the student had not provided the written confirmation.
It is important to remember that dropping a course can affect your financial aid eligibility, even if a Return of Title IV funds is not required. Please contact us if you are thinking about dropping a course so we may advise you on how it may affect your financial aid funding.
Disbursement of Aid
Anticipated aid is memoed as soon as possible in order to assist Student Accounts in determining payment due prior to the start of each part of term. Financial aid is disbursed based on enrollment by term on the first class day following census.
Payment Due Date
Payments for courses in the online RN to BSN program are due the Friday prior to the start date of each part of term. It is important to confirm all of your charges are paid prior to the due date to avoid being dropped from your courses for nonpayment. If you are not sure if your class will be paid by your financial aid prior to the payment due date, please pay your bill in full so you are not dropped from your courses.
Please review our financial aid disbursement page to review the common reasons why financial aid may not disburse and contact us if you have further questions regarding why your aid has not paid toward your charges.
